Starting ignition system for internal-combustion engines.



0. HEINS.

STARTING IGNITION SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 10. 1914.

Patqnted Aug. 17, 1915.

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1, t Hgh/gewag yf moa/vm OTTO HEIN'S, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STARTING IGNITION SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

specificati@ ef Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 1'7, 1915.

Application filed September 10, 1914. Serial No. 860,966.

others skilled in lthe art to which it appeltains to make and use the same.

Inasmuch as internal combustion engines are not self-starting, it is usual, especially in equipments for automobiles and motor boats, to provide a motor starter which may be of the electric, air, spring, or'other type. However, it sometimes happens that the self starter fails, and in that exigency the engine is generally started by hand using the handcrank for the purpose. The speed at which the engine is turned over by either starting device, the motor starter or the hand-crank, is considerably lower thanthe normal speed of operation ofthe engine-and in fact is merely that speed at which the engine starts to operate under itsl own power and continues to accelerate upto its normal speed. Thespeed of starting depends not only upon the frequency of impulses occurring in the engine cylindersbut also upon the force of the impulses which depends to some extent upon the effectiveness of Vthe ignition. Hence, where a magneto or other running ignition system, dependent upon thespeed of the engine for its effectiveness, is used for ignition duringy the running period of the j engine, astarting ignition system independ- 40 ent of thespeed of the engine for its effectiveness is provided for ignition during the starting period. This 'starting system becomes unnecessary after the engine attains that speed at whichthe running ignition system is effective for the purpose, and is usually disconnected at that time in order to conserve the charge of the battery supply-- ing the starting/ignition apparatus. Thus,

equipments of this'kind have a starting ignition system which is normally disconnected" from the spark plugs of the engine, and which must be rendered effective Vduring the starting periodof the engine whether the engine is preliminarily turned over by the motor starter or by the hand-crank.

It has been customary heretofore to provide a separately operable switch forrendering the starting ignition system effective during starting of the engine, and for disconnecting it after the running ignition system becomes effective. If the switch is not closed during the starting period, continued failure to start results, and if the switch is not opened after the starting has been effected, the battery supplying the starting ignition apparatus may be drained of its charge and the main Source of ignition may be interfered with during the running period.

The present invention is applicable to .an internal combustion engine having two starting devices and a starting ignition system, and is directed to means in such an organization for automatically rendering. the starting ignition system effective whenever either starting device is operatively connected to start'the engine, vand for automatically disconnecting the starting ignition system when the starting device used at that time is operatively disconnected. Hence, `not only is the starting operation smiplified. but failures in starting and running are obviated. Where an electric motor is used for starting the engine, the battery which suppliesthe starting current to the motor, preferably supplies the starting ignition apparatus also; and wherea resistance step is used to give the starting mo-tor an initial slow speed of rotation, the starting ignition apparatus is not connected to the battery in the preferred embodiment until the resistance is cut out of circuit.

` The accompanying ldra-Wing is diagrammatic and shows-the preferred embodiment of the invention.

The running ignition system for igniting the combustible mixtures during the running period ofthe engine, comprises an engine driven magneto havingV a primary winding l, a secondary winding 2, a rnechanical interrupter 3 with the shun-ted con- .denser 4, and thev distributer 5 for dis.

tributing the ignition currents to the spark plugs 6 of the engine. The `starting ignition system includes an electromagnetic vibattery 10 and connectedto the magneto. vThe windings ofthe magneto form an induction coil-capable of generating effective ignition currents during the starting brator 7, supplied vwith current from the` period of the engine when supplied with interrupted currents'coming from the electromagnetic vibrator. The series Starting motor 11 is arranged in geared relation with the crank-shaft of the enginev and is supplied with current from the battery when it is to start the engine. The handcrankY 12 is provided for starting the engine by hand. n e

The motor starting switch 13l is adapted to connect' the' battery to the starting moitor first through a resistance and then-directly, and also to 'connect theJ battery to the electromagnetic vibrator 7 when the resistance is cut out of circuit. The switch is /closed by depressing the foot pedal 111 against the tension of the spring 15, which tends to hold 4the switchl open. The pivotof the switch is connected to the battery by the wire 16, while the contact 17 is connected through` the resistance 18 -to the contact 19 and to the starting motor by the wire 20. lThe contact 21 of the switch is connected to the electromagnetic vibrator 7 by the wire 22. The bridge 23 of the `hand-'crank switch is adapted to engage the i contacts 24 and 25 when the hand-crank is operatively connected to the crank shaft forv starting the engine, [andis disengaged therefrom when the hand-crank is in inoperative position. The contact 24 is connected to the pivot ofi switch 13 by the wire 26 and the Contact 25 is connected by the wire 27 to the wire 22, leading to the electromagnetic vibrator.` The electric circuits are completed by the ground connec-l tion 28 as shown.'

The operation of this arrangement is las 4follows: When the operator desires to start vthe engine from rest, he depresses the foot pedal 14. The starting motor 11 is first vsupplied from the battery 10 with current I limited in strength by the resistance 18,

4whereupon the motor starts into slow rotation. Thereafter the switch blade engages the contacts 17 and 21, the starting motor- .then being supplied with .current of full strength to bring the engineup to starting speed. At the same time, the electromagnetic vibrator 7 is supplied with current from the battery 10 and ignitioncurrents,

electromagnetic vibrator. If,for any reason, Vthe starting motor does not start the engine, the hand-crank is pressed into operative engagement with the crank-shaft of the engine, thereby closing the circuit from the battery to the electromagneticfvibrator, and

'the hand-crank. is turned to bring the engine up to -that speed at which it will continue the acceleration under its own-"power up to its normal speed. Upon releasing the handcrank, the starting ignition system is disconnected. The switch 29 is provided for rendering the running ignition system inoperative by short circuiting the primary winding 1 of the magneto.

The connection between the running and starting ignition systems shown herein is not essential to the invention. For instance, the starting ignition system may be connected to separate spark plugs in the engine cylinders, or anyother suitable arrangement may be used. Furthermore, the connection between the switches and the elements of the starting ignition system may be variously modified without departing from the spirit of the invention, the essential idea. :being that a normally-disconnected starting ignition system is automatically rendered effective. for ignition during the starting period of the engine upon operatively con" necting either starting device to startfthe engine, and is automatically rendered inoperative when the starting device -used at the time is disconnected. p

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

p 1. Ina starting system for internal combustion engines, the combination with4 a starting hand-crank normally-disconnected from the engine, a starting motor normallydisconnected for4 operation, and a normallydisconnected starting ignition system, of a1- ternative means for automatically rendering the starting ignition system effective for ignition during the starting period of the engine, comprising an electric circuit which is closed either by operjatively connecting the hand-crank to start the engine, or by oneratively connecting the starting motor to start the engine.

2. Iny a starting system for internal combustion engines, the combination with a starting hand-crank normally-disconnected from the engine, a startingl motor, a source of starting power normally-disconnected from the motor, and a normally-disconnected starting ignition system, of 'alternative means for automatically rendering the starting ignition system effective for ignition during the starting period of the engine, compris- 'ing a switch -which is closed by operatively connecting the hand-crank to startthe engine, anda second switch which is closed by operatively connecting the source of starting power to the motor to start the engine.

3. In a starting system for internal com- ,bustion engines, the combinationl with I a starting hand-crank normally-disconnected from the engine, an electric starting motor,

nected starting ignition system, of alternative means for automatically rendering the starting ignition system effective for ignition l during the starting period of the engine, comprising a switch which is closed by operatively connecting the hand crank to start the engine, and contactswhich are connected by closing the motor switch to start the engine.

4. In a starting system for internal combustion engines, the combination with a starting hand-crank normally-disconnected from the engine, an electric startingl motor, a normally-disconnected battery, and a normally-disconnected electromagnetic vibrator, of alternative means for automatically rendering the vibrator effective for ignition during .the starting period of the engine', comprising a switch which is closed by operatively connecting the hand-crank to start the engine, and a second switch which connects the battery to the vibrator and to the motor to start the engine.

5,. In a starting system for internal combustion engines, the combination with a starting hand-crank normally-disconnected from the engine, an electric starting motor, a battery normally-disconnected from the motor, a motor starting switch for lstarting andl running the motor from the battery, and a normally-disconnected starting ignition system, of alternative means for autotem effective for ignition during the starting period of the' engine, comprising a switch which is closed by. operatively connecting the hand-crank to the engine, and contacts which are connected by moving the motor starting switch to )that point at which the motor receives full current from the batmatically rendering the starting ignition sysv 

